UPDATE: Crews making progress in Pulp Road Fire
UPDATE (10:50 p.m.): As a result of the work of firefighters over the past several days, the Pulp Road Fire is 52% contained. Percent containment represents sections of fire line that pose no escape risk without further action from firefighters. More accurate mapping has revealed the fire is 15,642 acres. Light rain was received over the fire area this evening and is forecast throughout the next several days.
Today, firefighters continued mop-up efforts along the perimeter of the fire and monitored for any potential spot fires. Fire suppression repair efforts are underway on areas of the fire that were disturbed by heavy equipment. Two large areas of ground fire well within the interior are being observed and closely monitored through reconnaissance flights.
There are no injuries and no structures threatened.
ORIGINAL POST FOLLOWS:
BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A wildfire burning in much of the Green Swamp area of Brunswick County appears to be getting smaller.
According to N.C. Forest Service, the Pulp Road Fire now covers 15,741 acres and is at 10% containment.
There are 80 total personnel on hand battling the blaze.
Crews spent much of the weekend using what it calls strategic fire operations to keep the wildfire from spreading.
That included extinguishing smoldering pockets and monitoring for spot fires.
The agency says it initially tried attacking the fire directly with tractor plows, but challenging soil conditions within the Green Swamp Nature Preserve, combined with the possibility that long bulldozer lines would make emergency firefighter extraction challenging led them to abandon the method.
According to a spokesman with the N.C. Forest Service, how the fire got out control is still under investigation.
N.C. Forest Service and Brunswick County Emergency management are hopeful the strategic fire operations and the strong possibility of rain over the next few days will help in get the Pulp Road Fire put out.
The fire is not threatening any homes or structures, but a Code Orange air quality alert is in effect for Brunswick County until midnight due to the smoke and ash from the fire.
NC Highway 211 is closed to motorists between Little Macedonia and Camp Branch roads as crews work to safely get personnel and equipment into and out of the area.
The Green Swamp Nature Preserve remains closed until further notice.
Mike Malcom with the Forest Service says some wild weather Monday evening could impact the fire.
“Currently we’ve got a little line of thunderstorms coming towards us, which is a good thing beneficially if we get rainfall out of it. Every little bit of precipiation that we can get is going to be beneficial to help with our smoke and put out some of our fuels that are still smoldering out there.”
